Earth anchor



`'March 14, 1939. c. wBRAKENs|EK l .2,150,358

" .EARTH ANCHOR K Filed Feb. 23,` 1937 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. y14, 1939 UNITED yswims PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in earth anchors, and more particularly to those of so-called expanding type, wherein a central body serves to carry a plurality of pivotally mounted 5f bla-des or vanes. f

The general objects of the invention are attained in an anchor of the type noted, having a stronger, more eective arrangement and design of blades, and one in which the blade elements and body are so arranged as to minimize driving eifort, and in case of installation in a pre-bored hole, such as to require an opening or passage of reduced size.

Yet another object of the invention is attained 15 in an improved design of blade and blade mounting in an expanding type of anchor, the blade arrangement embodying an improved pivotal connection between each of the blades and the body of the anchor.

Still another object of the invention is attained in an improved construction and arrangement of body and blades providing anti-spiralling provisions, tending to minimize rotational tendencies of the anchor while being driven and when located in iinal driven position.

A further object of the invention is attained in certain improvements in the shape of the blades for anchors of the type noted, in a manner to enhance the opening of the blades responsively 30 to a slight upward pull oriV the anchor at the time of its original setting. v

The foregoing and many other objects will clearly appear from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment', considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. lis a top view of the improved anchor with the blades in unexpanded position, as it appears prior to setting; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the anchor shown by Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of the anchor of Figs. l and 2, looking upwardly along its axis; Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional elevations taken respectively, along lines' 4-4 and 5 5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a section taken transversely through the rear or heel portion of one of the blades or vanes, along line 6-6 of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a somewhat reduced side elevation of the anchor as it appears in expanded form, Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section through the upper portion of the anchor body, illustrating a manner of securing a cable to the anchor, and Fig. 9 is a side elevation, partly inrsection, on a reduced scale, illustrating a slightly modified form of anchor.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing, the anchor body includes a pilot or point portion Ill characterized according to present preference by nine triangular facets or faces resulting from the provision of three projections II, each pair of which denes therebetween a channel I2 extending upwardly from the point proper, I3. In driving the anchor or in setting it in a. prebored hole, the channels I2 serve to engage the surrounding earth in a manner tending to prevent rotation of the anchor about its axis, the resultant shape of the point or pilot of the body constituting anti-spiralling provisions or means. It will be noted that each of the outermost faces I I of the point increases in width from the lower tip or point of the anchor, up to the terminus'of the pilot portion, and that the width or each of these outer faces at its upper end, appreciably exceeds the width of an adjacent pivot structure for the nukes or vanes, hereinafter to be described. From this it results that as the anchor is being driven, any stones or hard objects encountered by the point of the anchor are deected to a position laterally of the blade pivots, so that the pivots and heel parts of the blades are thus materially protected from damage during driving.

From the pilot portion I0 the body extends upwardly into a neck portion I4, and upwardly of the neck is a socket structure I5, the socket of which is tapped as at I6, for the threaded reception of an anchor rod I'I. The rod is or may be of conventional form, and of suitable length, being usually provided at its outer or free end with a cable eye or the like (not shown). Projecting laterally of the lupper portion of the 3 socket-forming part I5, is a plurality, shown as 3, of ears or lugs I8, the outer faces of which are coplanar with the outer surface of the socketforming part I5. The projections I8 serve, in driving or setting the anchor, as abutments to be engaged by the lower terminus of a tube or .a special driving tool through which axial pressure is imparted to the anchor in driving. It will appear alsothat the projections I8, being located respectively to the rear and centrally of the several blades or vanes, serve as stops therefor, limiting the retracting pivotal movement of the vanes to the positions shown by Figs. l, 2 and 4.

From the foregoing description of the body portion it will appear that it exhibits an improvement in economy of metal, consistent with provisions for the requisite thickness or body of metal in those zones subjected to the greatest stresses, both in driving and in service.

The neck portion I4 is provided with branches I-lIl or arms 20, which project horizontally from theV body, and just above the pilot portion Ill. These projections are each apertured as at 2l for the reception of a pivot pin 22, each of such pins serving as a hinge or pivot connection between the body and one of the vanes, hereinafter described in detail and indicated generally at V23.

A point of novelty is involved in the manner of securing the pins against axial displacement, after assembly of the several vanes 23 tothe body. For this purpose there is provided on each of the pins a milled or knurled portion 25, preferably in the type of anchor shown, being the central or intermediate area of the pin, and this milled area on the pin is of increasing depth from one end of the area to the other. By further preference, one end of each of the pins 22 is beveled as at 26 (Fig. 5) to facilitate in assembly, starting of the pin through the openings therefor in the vanes 23Y and in the arms 20. The relation of diameters of the milled portions 25 and the openings 2l is such that the pins, upon being vfirmly driven or pressed into place, undergo a deformation of the milled portions, with the effect of attaining a positive frictional securement of the pins against axial displacement and inV nonrotative relation within the arms 20. ThisV manner of assembly obviatesV the threading of the pins and the provision of holding nuts, cotter keys or any of the other usual provisions for retaining pins or pivots against axial displacement and possible loss while setting the anchor and after it is in use.

In lieu of the use of an anchor rod I1, it may be desirable in certain installations to engage the anchor with a stranded cable or other flexible tension element, as indicated at 21. As a convenient means of securement of Vsuch a cable to the body of the anchor, the socket-forming portion l5 is provided with a plurality, shown as 3, of branched openings 28. By dividing the strands of the cable and distributing the strands beyond the socket through the several openings 28, thereafter sweating the cable firmly into place as by a body of poured metal 29, the cable is rmly secured to the body. In case the anchor is provided with a tension Velement such as a cable, thus obviating entirely the use of a rod, it is Ygreatly preferred that the cable be formed of some corrosion-resisting metal, such as stainless steel. This'material has been found to resist rusting and any ordinary chemical effects due to acid or alkaline soils, to a remarkable degree. It thus becomes possible by reason of the increased availability of cable formed of stainless steel or some equivalent corrosion-resistant metal, to dispense entirely with the anchor rod and rod connections in certain installations.

There has been shown according to present preference, an anchor of so-called three-way type, characterized by three blades or Vanes whose medianlines are disposed at angles o f 120 degrees to each other. It will be seen that this arrangement of blades and body lends itself particularly to an anchor utilizing a typeof blade, the heel portion of which is of substantial Width, the threeblade arrangement also providing an augmented area-of blade engagement against the overlying earth, a large part of which area is close to the anchor body. The three-blade arrangement thus enables the use of shorter blades or vanes than would be required were four blades employed, when all are disposed in a common plane. The blades may likewise be shorter than were only two thereof provided to afford the requisite area of engagement. Obviously the body of an anchor of this type may be considerably shorter, and require less metal, than is the case wherein say four blades are employedV and arranged in pairs in superposed planes.

Proceeding now to a description of the novel type of blade or vane, these are preferably, in the example shown, of broad shovel-shape, the earthengaging surface of which lies substantially in a plane from the heel of the blade outwardly to the zone designated generally at 32 (Fig. 4), wherein the margins of the blade start to converge toward the point 33 thereof. YBetween the zone 32 and the tip 33, the bladebends outwardly or downwardly according to the plane of reference, and furtherby preference is beveled at its outer end (Fig. 4) as to present a sharpened entering edge. This offers the advantage in attaining a quick and positive initial engagement of the tip portion of each of Ythe blades with the surrounding earth, after the anchor is driven to its maximum extent. Thereafter a short upward pull on the anchor serves denitely to expand the blades, i. e. to move them downwardly about their pivots to the horizontal position shown by Fig. 7. The rear portion or heel part, nearest the body of the anchor of each of the blades, is characterized by afcentral reinforcing rib or strut 35 (Figs. 6 and 7). This element increases in depth toward the heel of the blade, and its rear extremity 36 forms a planar surface abutting a seat 31 therefor on the upper margin of the pilot or point i0 of the anchor. lTwo additional struts or ribs 38 (Fig. 2) are formed, one on each side of the rib 35, the ribs 38 being of tapered width and terminating inwardly in the apertured ears 39, the pivotreceiving openings of which are indicated at 40.

Experience and numerous breaking experiments have indicatedthat the zone in which occurs the greatest tendency to breakage, lies in the rear portion of the vane or blade, and in or adjacent its pivot structure. ferred design, the blade has been materially strengthened in this zone through the provision of the ribs 35 and 38, and the resulting thickened blade section just outwardly of the projections or earsv39. The usual zone of weakness has also been materially strengthened and improved in design through the provision of the mating abutments 36 and 31, serving to distribute the otherwise extremely high unit pressures in the areas of engagement of the blades With the body. This provision tends materially to prevent any spalling tendency, as might otherwise be noted when the blades and body are formed of cast metal.

The somewhat modified form of anchor shown by Fig. 9 may be in all important respects similar to the structure shown by Figs.Y 1 through 8, the reference numerals'applied to the elements of the anchor of Fig. 9 designating parts corresponding to those heretofore described, except bearing the letter suffix A in designating the elements of Fig. 9. An exception is, however, noted in the provision of a central recess or bore which extends axially of the anchor body to a much .greater depth than that shown by Fig. 4. The socket 45 is shown as terminating in the pilot portion IDA, particularly in a transverse passage or socket 46 extending from one side of the pilot inwardly a sucient depth to accommodate a rod nut 41. 'I'he passage 46 is preferably rectangular or otherwise shaped in transverse section so that when the nut is inserted therein, the anchor rod may be threaded into the nut 41 without any tendency toward rotation of the nut in the body. It will be noted this arrangement eifects a substantial saving in According to the present pre-- of the `anchor required Ato yresist the greatest stresses, in fact the strength of the unit section of metal is desirably enhanced in certain zones, due to decreased thicknesses and better annealing penetration.

The manner of setting and use of an anchor of the type described, conforms in a general way to the practice and function of expanding anchors of older types; it may however be noted that the usual practice is to provide a prebored earth opening, corresponding approximately in length to the desired depth or location of the anchor below the surface of the ground, the axis of the opening conforming also to the axis of the tension element such as the cable or rod, The anchor is driven into place by an impact or pressure implement engaging a tube or special driving tool, which in turn engages the projections I8 of the anchor body. When the anchor has attained the desired depth, a short upward pull on the tension element causes the tips of the vanes to engage the surrounding soil, and to become expanded to assume its permanent relation to the surrounding earth, ready for attachment of the guy cable or the like to the pole or other object to be anchored.

It will be seen that anchors of the types exemplified by the foregoing description, will fully attain each of the several objects heretofore ex- F pressed and implied; that they may be manuactured economically, since they require but a minimum weight of metal, and that the improved type described offers a distinct advance in anchors of expanding type, due to the special elements of design and most advantageous use of metal in the zones subjected to the greater stresses.

While the invention has been described by making a some-what specific reference toV a presently preferred embodiment, the description is not to be construed in a limiting sense, since many changes may be made in the elements of the device, as well as in their combinations and arrangements, without departing from the full intended scope of the invention as dened by the claims hereunto appended.

I claim:

1. In an earth anchor of expanding type, a body, spaced arms formed integrally with and extending laterally of said body, a plurality of blades or vanes pivotally carried by said arms, a pilot portion depending from said body and formed integrally therewith and with said arms, the pilot portion being formed with projections each diverging from the point of the pilot to the Zone of one of the blades, said projections each being of a width near the blade, in excess of the width of the blade pivot portion and the length of the blade pivot, and adapted to deflect foreign objects, in setting the anchor, to zones laterally of said pivot portion.

2. In an earth anchor of expanding type, a body, a pilot portion on the body characterized by projections and channels of relatively divergent trend from the point of the pilot to a zone substantially upwardly thereof, a plurality of blade pivot seats formed integrally with, and extending laterally of the body, above the pilot portion, said pivot seats also being formed integrally with the upper Vend of said pilot portion,

a body extension above the pivot seats, blades carried by said pivot seats, and a plurality of lateral projections on said upwardly extending portion, each adapted as a stop for the adjacent blade, and so formed and located as to limit its retracting movement to substantially a vertical position.

3. An earth anchor of expanding type including a body portion and a pilot portion formed integrally therewith and extending therebeyond, each of said portions being characterized in section by three lateral projections or arms, with the arms of the body portion arranged in superposed registry with the pilot arms, and connected thereto, the arms of the body portion being apertured for the pivotal securement of the blades,

a blade pivotally secured near its inner end orr heel, to each of said body arms, and the arms of the pilot portion serving to deneearthengaging, anti-spiralling channels therebetween, the inner portions of the pilot arms underlying the body arms, each being of a lateral width in excess of that of its adjacent body arm and the heel portion of the blade pivoted thereto, whereby in setting the anchor, said inner portions of the pilot arm's serve to deflect foreign objects to zones laterally of the body arms and heel portions of the blades.

4. In an anchor of expanding type, a body, spaced arms formed integrally with and extending laterally of said body, a plurality of blades or vanes pivotally carried by said arms, a pilot portion depending from said body and formed integrally therewith and with said arms, the pilot portion and body being characterized by an undercut or recessed part in which are located the pivotal connections between the body and blades, the pilot portion being formed with projections below said undercut part, and each diverging from the point of the pilot to the undercut or recessed part, said projections each being of a width near the blade, in excess of the width of the blade pivot portion and the length of the blade pivot, and adapted to deilect foreign objects, in setting the anchor, to Zones laterally of and outwardly beyond said pivot portion.

5. In an earth anchor of expanding type, a body, a pilot portion on the body characterized by projections and channels of relatively divergent trend from the point of the pilot to a Zone substantially upwardly thereof, a plurality of blade pivot seats formed integrally with, and extending laterally of the body, above the pilot portion, said pivot seats also being formed integrally with the upper end of said pilot portion, and disposed radially inwardly of the widest portions of the pilot projections, a body extension above the pivot seats, blades carried by said pivot seats, and a plurality of lateral projections on said upwardly extending portion, each adapted as a stop for the adjacent blade, overlying the pivot structure thereof, and so formed and located as tolimit the blade-retracting movement to substantially a vertical position.

6. An earth anchor of expanding type including a body portion and a pilot portion formed integrally therewith and extending therebeyond, each of said portions bein-g characterized in section by three lateral projections or arms, with the arms of the body portion arranged in superposed registry with the pilot arms and connected thereto, the arms of the body portion terminating within the confines of the uppermost portions of the pilot arms soI as to be radially recessed relative thereto, and the body arms being apertured for the pivotal securement of the excess of that of its adjacentV body arm and the blades, a blade pivotally secured near its inner heel portion of the blade pivoted thereto, whereencl or heel, to each 'of said body arms, and the by in setting the anchor, said inner portions of arms of the pilot portion serving to dene earththe pilotarms serve to deflect foreign objects to 5 engaging, anti-spiralling channels therebetween, zones laterally and radially outwardly of the 5 the inner portions of the pilot arms underlying body arms and heel portions of the blades. the body arms, each being of a lateral Width in CLARENCE W. BRAKENSIEK. 

